The present invention relates to the field of lighting systems for trucks, trailers, and other motor vehicles.
Trailers that are hitched to, and towed behind, tractors, trucks, or other vehicles have electrical systems that typically include stop lights, turn signals, brake lights, exterior lights, interior lights, and/or other auxiliary electrical devices. These devices are often operated using controls at the interior of the vehicle towing the trailer. This may be accomplished electrically by coupling one or more electrical wires from the trailer to corresponding wires of the vehicle used to tow the trailer (e.g., via a plug and socket, such as a 7-way connector). Accordingly, by operating controls of the vehicle (e.g., a brake pedal, a turn signal switch, or another type of switch), a signal may be sent via one or more of the wires of the vehicle through the electrical coupling, and to the corresponding wire(s) of the trailer, thereby enabling the vehicle operator to effectively control circuits or devices of the trailer.
A persistent problem affecting the trucking/tractor trailer industry is the corrosion of electrical wires, electrical connections, or electrical junctions used to create the electrical connection between the tractors and trailers. Corrosion may be caused by, for example, salt and de-icing agents, which are used on the roads on which the tractors and trailers travel, as well as moisture or water present on the roads and in the atmosphere. When these materials reach exposed electrical wiring or electrical connections, the materials can chemically react with the metals of the wires and connections to create rust or corrosion. Such rust and corrosion can lead to power being inconsistently or inefficiently transmitted to the lights, turn indicators, brake signals, etc., and can even lead to a total loss of power to these circuits.
Inconsistent power transmission through the electrical circuits due to bad electrical connections or due to corrosion can cause, for example, a trailer's exterior lighting system to flicker or to fail to turn on. The rust or corrosion may create a barrier at a surface of the electrical wires, or may cause the surface area of the electrical wires or the corresponding connection (e.g., to the junction boxes) to be corroded away, thereby causing poor contact due to wires/pins failing to make surface contact with each other.
A driver/operator of a tractor towing a trailer may not be aware of deterioration of the truck or trailer electrical systems because the operator does not have a direct line-of-sight to many of the trailer's electrical devices (such as a trailer's lighting fixtures) from the cab of the tractor. This can create safety hazards due to inconsistent or non-existent power transmission to components of the trailer. Additionally, the operator of the truck may potentially receive a traffic citation for improperly working equipment.
What is desired is a system for enabling electronic communication between the tractor and the trailer that is less susceptible to the effects of corrosion and other natural hazards adversely affecting the wired electrical connections between the tractor and trailer.